Ice climbing is a struggle against oneself.

       Hello everyone, my name is Xie Ban yan, but most people call me Ban yan. I’m an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, mountaineering, ice climbing, photography, food, and more. I have many hobbies, but my main profession is as an outdoor explorer.

       I was a member of the Mountaineering Association founded in 1989, serving from 2010 to 2014. Over the more than ten years I’ve been involved in outdoor sports, passion has kept me from giving up easily, even when facing difficulties on each outdoor journey.

       Over these years, I’ve done plenty of climbing, hiking, and ice climbing. The outdoor activities listed below have left deep impressions on me, and if you’re interested, you can try them too.

2009 — Full traverse of Gongga Mountain

2010 — Exploring new routes in Shennongjia

2010 — Traverse of Qicanggou

2011 — Xuanyue Peak

2012 — Mount Siguniang Peaks 1, 2, and 3

2013 — Hiking in Motuo

2013 — Everest East Slope, Kangshung Valley

2014 — Traverse from Changpinggou to Bipenggou

2015 — Lop Nur

2016 — Kora around Mount Kailash

2017 — Traverse of Nianbaoyuze

       So, I’ve basically devoted most of my time to the outdoors, spending year-round hiking, occasionally taking photos, and sometimes playing with aerial photography. Among my many hobbies, most are relatively niche. In recent years, ice climbing, which has become known to more people, has gradually gained popularity among outdoor enthusiasts. It happens to be ice climbing season again, so I’d like to talk about ice climbing with you.

       I vaguely remember that starting in 2014, I would head into mountain valleys every year between January and February for some time — more or less, longer or shorter. Thinking back carefully, it was at least over ten days each year, and there was one year when I stayed for over a month. Because being in the mountains allows me to forget the troubles of urban life and focus on doing one thing.

       But in the past two years, as my responsibilities have gradually increased, my opportunities to engage with the outdoors have become fewer. Last year, the time I spent ice climbing in the valley was as little as three days. In January last year, errands in Xinyang and Beijing took up too much of my ice climbing season. I barely managed to put together four days in the valley for ice climbing, during which someone even arranged a rest day for me because they were afraid I’d get too tired and injure myself while climbing.

       This year, the time I spent in the valley was relatively better compared to last year, though still not ideal. I hope to adjust my schedule after the Spring Festival to fully enjoy the joy that ice climbing brings me.

       I received the PRO TREK PRW-60Y-1A quite early before this ice climbing trip. My first impression was how much softer the watch strap material is compared to my previous watch. Thanks to the genuine silicone soft strap, wearing it is extremely comfortable. I’m not exaggerating — my first thought was finally being free from the torture of the hard strap on my old watch. Before heading out, I looked up the watch specs and learned that the PRO TREK series has really rich features. The PRW-60Y-1A is equipped with a third-generation triple sensor, six-band radio wave reception, and a solar power system. This sparked my strong interest in the limits of this watch.

       The altitude of the ice climbing location I went to this time is around 3,000–4,000 meters, and the temperature is generally between -5°C and -10°C. The low-temperature performance of the PRW-60Y-1A didn’t affect its data feedback at all. After arriving in the valley this year, I noticed that conditions have improved a lot — some places even have underfloor heating now, and the meals are better. The only thing that hasn’t changed is the nightly kitchen hangout. Let me briefly introduce the place where I went ice climbing. It’s called Shuangqiaogou, and Shuangqiaogou is definitely worth recommending. Shuangqiaogou boasts unique ice wall resources — there are numerous ice walls of varying difficulty levels. In winter, Shuangqiaogou has over a hundred ice walls, with more than 30 suitable for beginners, such as Baiyangu and Nianyuba. There are also many medium to high-difficulty ice walls, like Longbi. As a world-famous ice climbing destination, climbers from all over the world gather here every winter. In addition, Shuangqiaogou also has abundant mountain resources, such as Jianshanzi, Abishan, Hunters Peak, Riyue Baojing, and Potala, attracting many mountaineering enthusiasts every year.

 

       What I personally like most about this watch is, first, what I mentioned earlier — the strap is very comfortable to wear. Second is the solar power — as long as the watch gets light, it can convert it into energy to power the watch, which is perfect for someone like me who often hangs the watch on their bag. Another feature is automatic hand position adjustment, ensuring the hands don’t block the display when using certain functions. I took this watch with me on the ice climbing trip.

The first thing to do upon reaching the ice wall is to put on a helmet — and keep it on until you leave the ice wall. There are too many uncertainties in outdoor exploration, so safety always comes first.

       The ice climbing route I chose this year is still my favorite — Baiyangu. For ice climbing routes, the ones on the right are super easy and great for building endurance through repetition. The left side routes are more difficult, which is more fun for me.

       After putting on the helmet, the next step is to wear the harness, and the final preparation is putting on the crampons. Our group picked our own routes and then started climbing. Since the PRW-60Y-1A has a temperature measurement function, I could choose my gear based on the ambient temperature once I arrived on site — a feature that’s really practical for both outdoor adventures and daily life.

       Because this trip was for ice climbing, I didn’t particularly notice the barometric pressure measurement, altimeter, or 100-meter waterproof features, but my friend with me, a loyal PRO TREK user, said he deeply appreciates the thought and effort PRO TREK puts into designing its watch features.

       Since the area below Baiyangu doesn’t get sunlight while ice climbing, that means you have to put on a thick down jacket to stay warm whenever you take a break. During the days of ice climbing, I wore the PRW-60Y-1A the whole time and was truly impressed by how comfortable the watch is to wear.

       After getting to know the PRW-60Y-1A, I would also recommend the PRO TREK series of watches to my friends. The accurate data feedback, comfortable fit, and significantly smaller dial size compared to other outdoor watches.

       Moreover, the dial markings are made of metal, emphasizing a high-quality metallic design style. Coupled with specially made glass that completely eliminates concerns about everyday wear and tear on the watch. It’s truly a conscientious choice in the world of outdoor watches.

       Getting back to the point, outdoor activities play a significant role in my life. The challenges of the outdoors have also taught me many life lessons. Here, I want to tell everyone: if you encounter difficulties anytime, anywhere, don’t shy away—bravely overcome them, and you’ll see unparalleled possibilities.